Ltjisa cappiani



(No Model.)

L. OAPPIANI. SHEET Music CASE.

Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcEo LUISA OAPFIANI, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SHEET-MUSIC CASE.

SPECH'ICATIVON forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,530, dated August3, 1886.

Application tiled April 5, 1836. Serial N0.l9'i,914.

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, Luisa @APPL-mr, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Music Cases, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvement in sheet-musie cases; and itconsists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices, thatwill be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a sheet-music easeembodying my improvements, with the lids open to disclose thesheet-music. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of thesame, showing the lids closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the lidsopen.

A represents a rectangular case, which is made ot Vpasteboard or anyother preferred material, and is covered with alligator-skin, plush, orany other preferred material, and ornamented in any desired style, so asto make the case beautiful and attractive. One end of the ease is open,and the bottom B ofthe case extends for a suitable distance beyond theopen end thereof. The sides C of the case have projecting ilanges D,which extend beyond thel open end of the case to the outer edge of theprojecting portion of the bottom B. The upper corners of the flanges Dare beveled or inclined, as at E.

F represents the inner lid, which has one edge hinged to the projectingouter edge of the bottom D of the case, whereby the said lid may befolded upwardly between the outer edges of the projecting langes E. Thislid is connected to one of the flanges D by'means of a ribbon or tape,G, which supports the said lid in a horizontal position when the same isopened.

H represents an outereover, which is hinged to the top lof the case.This cover is provided with side flanges, K, which tit over theprojecting side flanges, D, of the ease when the cover is closed, thesaid outer cover being adapted to fold over theinnerlid, F. The innerside of the said inner lid forms a tablet, (index,) which is suitablyruled and divided (No model.) i

into any desired number of vertical columns, and to the left of eachline of each column of the tablet is inscribed a figure or number, whichfigures run successively freml up to any desired number, accordingtojhecapacity t of the case. The inner side of dille outer lid or cover, H,also forms a tablet, und is likewise ruled and divided intovefticallyaiumbered columns.

To the top of the case, on tlfl@ inner side thereof, at a suitabledistance Vifi-om the rear end of the case, is attached one 'ced of adrawribbon or tape, L. This ribbon is of a suitable length to bear againstthe; upper side of the ease, the rear end thereof and the bottom, andextend outwardly from the case between the inner and outer lids.,` Theouter end of the said ribbon or tape is provided with a suitable weight,pendant, or tassrjll, or other preferred device, to preventthe ribbonfromslipping through the iingers. t i

The outer cover or lid, lf, of t`1e case is provided on its outer sidewith a. sintablehandle, M, which may be of any pref erred ornamentalconstruction, and the corners ot' the said cover are provided withwear-plat :s er corner-bindings N, which may be of any suitablepreferred ornamental form, anil tle function of which is to preventinjury 1to zhe corners of the covers H by abrasion. l

The bottom of the caselis provided at its corners with cushions O, inadiof any suitable elastic material, to prevent the case from wearing orscratching the, upper side of the music-stand, upon which ,the case isplaced.

The sheets of music are divided into separate classes or varieties-Suchas operatic arias, church music, &e.'-a11i.l Sheets belong` ing to eachseparate clasfs are placed in separate cases, Each piece f musi() Snumbered at the bottom of the sheet, at either the right or left handcorner, and the said sheets are placed in the case one abOVe the other,the pile lying upon the tape or ribbon L. The name of each numberedsheet is inscribed in its appropriate place opposite the correspondingnumber on the tablets F and H. For inn stance, the title of sheet No.1-. Clafero Orplico,77 par Gluck-isi11SCrbCd Online N0. l Of t-he tabletF, the title of Sheet No, 2-D Amor Sul7 ah, Trovatore,Verdi-beinginscribed on the second line of the said tablet,and the titleof the third sheetc Casta Diva,77 Norma, Bellini-being inscribed on thethird line of' the said tablet, and so on for each succeeding sheet ofmusic.

If the capacity ofthe case is such that there is not room upon thetablet F for the names of all the pieces of music, the index may be 1ocontinued from the tablet F to the tablet H,

i5 upon the tape or ribbon L, thereby sliding.

as will bemeadily understood.

/Vhen it is desired to abstract a certain sheet of music from the case,the covers F and H are rst yopened, and the musician draws the pile ofmusic forwardlyfrom the case onto the lid or co aer F. The sheets at thebottom of the pile are moved rst, and the superincumbent sheets aremoved successively by the 2o action of the ribbon or tape, whicharranges the bottom 'f-lges of the sheets upon an incline on the lidoil' cover F, thereby enabling the desired sheeittto be readily selectedfrom the pile and withdrawn. Vhen the piece has been sung or play@ A,the musician returns it to its proper place ign the pile of its number.

A music-eagle thus constructed will be found of great uti1i1:yandconvenience, as it provides a means f'orjeleping the music in regularor- 3o der, and rende'fs each sheet accessible at any moment, thussaving the time usually lost in searching for a particular sheet in alarge pile. This musicecasealso forms an attractive ornament for themu'hiestand in the parlor, and is economical inasmuch as it preservesthe pa- 4o angular box cr support and hold the lid in a horizontalposition when it is thrown down for use, the upper or outer cover, H,hinged to the case and arranged to be thrown back and supportedin avertical position upon the top of the ease, so as to expose the index onthe inner face of the outer cover, the inner cover or lid, F, fittingbetween the inner sides of the ease, and the outer covering, H,inclosing the inner cover and the front end of the case when the case isclosed, and the ribbon or tape L,secured to the top of the ease forwardof the rear end,passed behind and under the pile of music in the case,and extending out over and resting upon the inner cover or lid, F,whereby when the ribbon or tape is pulled upon the sheets of music willbe moved forwardly from the case and be supported by the lid F,substantially as described.

2. rlhe sheet-music case comprising a reetangular box or case, A, havingthe inner lid, F, hinged to the open end thereof, the tape or strap G,to support or hold said lid in a horizontal position when it is throwndown for use, the upper or outer cover or lid, H, hinged to the case andarranged to be thrown back and supported in avertieal position upon thetop of the case, so as to expose the index on theinner face ofthe outercover, the inner cover or lid, F, fitting between the inner sides YLUISA CAPPIANI.

\Vitnesses:

E. G. SIGGERT, XVM. N. MOORE.

